Lineage
by NJZ
Summary: What if Melinda Warren didn’t prophesize the naissance of The Charmed Ones? What if someone interfered? What if the Charmed Ones were never born and the Warren/Halliwell bloodline therefore didn’t exist? Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1: Omen

**Author's Notes:**

**Summary:**

What if Melinda Warren didn't prophesize the naissance of The Charmed Ones? What if the Charmed Ones were never born and the Warren/Halliwell bloodline therefore didn't exist? Set in the future in a post-apocalyptic world where demons rule the night, this series follows the life of Elizabeth Warren, the last remaining descendant of the Warren bloodline, as she fulfils her destiny as the only remaining saviour of the world.

**Chapter 1: Omen**

As she felt the blood stream down her face, all she could think of was if she'd make it out alive. It didn't seem likely now, for he had her neck firmly in his hands, slowly choking every last breath out of her. The pain was unbearable; her head felt weak and heavy, her arms were sore and her legs felt as they would collapse beneath her. He had won and he knew it. Yet there was a part of her that wanted to fight on, to destroy this unruly world she had come to know in her 23 years of life. It was her destiny after all, or so she had been told.

As his grip tightened around her neck, she anxiously searched the cave with her eyes, looking for something, anything, which would help her. Her vision was blurred from the injuries to her head and she could barely make out the walls, let alone any objects. Her despair was apparent to him and he loosened his hold on her, and then let her go completely. She fell to the ground, desperately catching her breath.

"Warren" he said, looking down at her with a terrifying grin. "You witches never knew when to give up; always fighting on until the last breath. And now, with you, shall die the bloodline that has plagued me for centuries." He sneered at her, holding a fireball in his hands, ready to launch it into her with great power. She looked up at him, feeling powerless, but with a new-found clarity. She stood up with all the strength she had left and looked at him straight in his eyes.

"I won't let you destroy everything we've worked for; everything my mother worked for…" she said, with tenacity that clearly nerved him.

"You shall die, just like your mother did; by my hands" was his only reply. He was about to release his fireball now, she had to think quickly if she wanted to survive.

He threw it towards her with immense force.

Just then, her pain vanished, as did the cave and her adversary. Her surroundings had changed and she realised where she was; her current place of employment.

Though she was now safe, she still felt weak and whilst looking around her, she collapsed.


	2. Chapter 2: Protection

Chapter 2: Protection

Elizabeth awoke late in the afternoon. Her light blue eyes looked around the room, with her long brown locks resting firmly on her shoulders, wondering how she had got there. As she arose from her bed, Adam, a long-time friend, orbed in to greet her.

"Hey there" he said. He had dark green eyes and short brown hair. He was 42 years old and had a self-effacing nature. He stood in front of Elizabeth's bed for a second, smiling at her. Still in a moment of haziness, Liz didn't reply and had only just managed to hear the words he had uttered. "How are you feeling, Lizzie?" he asked, with genuine concern.

"What happened" She asked.

"You don't remember?"

"No, I don't. I…did I pass out or something?"

"I guess you could say that. You collapsed, back at Quake. You don't remember at all?"

"Only vaguely"

She paused for a moment, trying to remember what had happened and then spoke.

"I remember, I think I had a…"

"Premonition?"

"Yes, unlike any I've ever had before. How did you know?"

"Giselle told me, she's seen you have premonitions before and she said that's what it looked like. Though, seeing you collapse like that was definitely something new to her"

"Giselle?"

"You called?" replied a woman, with brown eyes and long blonde hair, as she walked into the room. "How you doing, Lizzie? You gave me quite a shock there" she continued.

"I'm alright. What are you doing here? Why aren't you back at the restaurant?"

"They can survive without me for a while"

"You're the head chef. They won't survive long"

"And you're my best friend, they'll have to deal. Right, Adam?"

"Of course" replied Adam. Turning to Liz, he spoke again "now here's a lady who's got her priorities straight"

"Yeah, yeah" said Liz, shrugging it off.

"I should go" said Adam, rather abruptly.

"Go where? You only just got here" asked Giselle

"I know, but they're calling me. I'll drop by later Lizzie" he said and then orbed out, not giving the ladies a chance to reply.

"So…" asked Giselle with concern, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"At Quake; what really happened?"

"You know already, it was a premonition"

"No, I got that part. I mean, what is it you're not telling me about this premonition?" Liz didn't reply. "Elizabeth" she said sternly, to which Liz sighed and then proceeded to answer.

"Alright, fine. It was different than usual"

"I kinda figured, what with the collapsing and everything"

"Yeah, well. The premonition felt a hell of a lot worse"

"Felt? I thought you only saw these things"

"So did I. Until today that is. I don't know…it felt like I was there; I could feel everything around me. I wasn't just seeing and hearing this thing play out; I could smell and touch everything too. It was so surreal yet real at the same time"

"Okay, that's unusual. And, what do you mean, where exactly is 'there'?"

"The Underworld. The Source's lair, to be exact"

"Oh" Giselle replied, with a sense of shock in her inflection. Once the initial tremor had subsided, she spoke again. "So why didn't you tell Adam? He should know about this"

"He doesn't need to know." Her inflection was bitter, but Giselle didn't notice.

"He worries about you, for a reason. You're the daughter he never had. He wants to protect you"

"He was my mother's whitelighter, he's not my father. Besides, whatever it is that's coming, I don't think he'll be able to protect me from it"


End file.
